


One Step Closer

by afteriwake



Series: A Thousand Suns [10]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:46:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He just wants a shot, that’s all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Step Closer

“He shouldn’t be staring at her like that.”

“Hmm?” Rukia asked, turning her attention from Karin’s sparing session with her brother to see who Renji was staring at. “I didn’t think he would be here,” she said with a frown.

“He lives here. He’s _always_ here,” Renji grumbled. 

An amused grin crossed Rukia’s face. “You don’t like him very much, do you?”

“He hurt you. He fought against us. And his attentions to Arisawa-san are just… _wrong_ ,” he said, crossing his arms across his chest, continuing to stare at Grimmjow. “He should be rotting in the same damn hole they tossed Aizen in. Instead he’s prowling around the living world without a care in the world.”

“But he’s not anywhere near as powerful as he used to be,” she replied.

“Huh?” Renji turned so quickly to face Rukia that she thought his neck would snap. “What do you mean?”

“Last week Ichigo challenged him. Or he challenged Ichigo. Either way, they fought, and he can no longer do his Ressureccion. He tried multiple times and just couldn’t do it. He got disgusted with himself and left here in a huff.”

“Huh,” he replied, this time without the inflection of confusion. “That’s unusual.”

“He’d be lower than the former Espada, lower than the Fraccion right now,” she said. And then she got a slightly wicked smile. “Why are you spending so much time focusing on him focusing on _her_?”

“I’m not!” he said, throwing his hands up.

“You are a horrible liar, Renji,” she said with a chuckle. “At least with me. You’ve only managed to successfully lie to me once.”

“And that caused us to stop being friends,” he said.

The smile that had formed on her face dimmed. “Yes, it did. This is why I know you promised yourself you would never lie to me again. But you’re lying now. You broke your promise.”

“But I’m not lying!” he said defensively. “I’m focusing on him because I don’t trust him, despite Nelliel’s assurances.” Then he got an almost haughty look on his face. “I don’t care about her as more than a comrade.”

“Well, continue to perpetuate that lie with yourself, because I don’t believe you,” Rukia said. “I’ve seen you look at her over bowls of rice during dinner when she’s over. And this isn’t the first time. I saw you watching her years ago, the last time we were here.”

“Well, she’s…interesting,” he said defensively. “And she can kick my ass.”

“Renji, I can kick your ass too,” she pointed out.

“But not without kidou and your sword. She can do it _with her bare hands_ ,” he said.

“So you’re fascinated with Arisawa-kun because she can beat you in a fight?” Rukia asked, a smile on her lips. “There isn’t anything to the fact that she’s attractive?”

“She’s pretty, but not as pretty as Inoue-kun.”

“ _No one_ in Karakura Town is as pretty as Inoue-kun, at least at their age.”

“Well, she’s not as pretty as you,” Renji said, looking at her triumphantly.

“Kissing up to me will get you nothing,” Rukia said with a smirk. “Except maybe some advice: Arisawa-kun is smart, and she’s not easily fooled, but Grimmjow could probably get that uniform off of her fast enough if he really wanted to. And with the way he’s looking at her, it might not be long until he really wants to. And he’ll leave her in the dust if something better comes along, since to him she’s simply prey to be captured.”

“Is there advice in there somewhere?” he asked.

She punched him in the gut, hard, and when he was doubled over she grabbed his shoulders and got nose-to-nose with him. “Make a move before he begins to look more appealing, you idiot,” she hissed out.

“Good advice,” he wheezed out. “Did you have to hit me so hard?”

“No, but it felt like a good idea at the time,” she said, letting go of his shoulders.

“I thought we weren’t supposed to have those kinds of relationships with humans,” he said after a few moments, when he stood up.

“We’re not,” she replied, “but you won’t use her and break her heart. He will. I’d bring this up to Ichigo but I don’t think he’s interested in her like that, and Ishida-kun has Inoue-kun and Sado-kun has Dokugamine-kun. And I wouldn’t inflict Keigo on my worst enemy, and Mizurio likes older women. You’re the best that’s left.”

“Gee, thanks,” Renji said dejectedly.

Rukia’s expression softened. “Look. We tried, and it didn’t work, and I know how much you cared about me. But I also know _you_ , Renji, and I know you’re a good man. She could do far worse than you. Show her you’re a better choice than Grimmjow before it’s too late.”

He looked at Rukia speculatively. “Have I ever told you I’m glad we didn’t stop being friends?”

“I think us being such close friends is why our relationship didn’t work,” she said, a thoughtful expression on her face. “We weren’t fated to be childhood sweethearts. But we _were_ fated with a bond that can’t be broken, even by status and geography and your best lie ever.” She turned to look back at Karin’s training. “Now go over to her and leave me alone. I’m supposed to be judging Karin’s performance for Captain Commander to see if she should get a substitute badge.”

“Fine, fine,” he said, though he said it with a smile on his face. “But my opinion is that she deserves it.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” she said. “Now _go_.”

He gave Karin one last look, but when he turned around he saw Tatsuki walking out of the training ground. He looked at Grimmjow, who was staring. Then he turned and glared at Renji, flicked the cigarette he’d been holding out of his fingertips and stalked off in the other direction. Renji hurried towards the opening in time to see Tatsuki enter Urahara’s shop. “Hey! Arisawa-san! Wait up!”

“Look, I don’t want—“ she began, turning around just in time for Renji to nearly collide with her. “Oh. Hey, Abarai-san. I thought you were that jerk Grimmjow. I’m sorry.”

“Not a big deal,” he replied. “I…uh…I just wanted to tell you I think you’ve done a really good job helping Ichigo’s sister.”

“Really?“ she said, brightening. “Hey, thanks. All most of the shinigami talk about is the training Yoruichi-san and Urahara-san put her through, and how powerful she is.”

“Even shinigami need to know how to fight properly without kidou and weapons, and you’re a good teacher,” he said with a shrug, looking down and then to the side. “So I was kinda thinking…maybe I could get some lessons or something, if you have time, maybe?”

“Sure,” she said, and his head snapped up so quickly that for the second time it seemed like he might hurt himself. She chuckled slightly. “If you don’t mind tagging along with Kurosaki-kun and Inoue-kun, anyway. I’m sure you have some skills?”

“I can fight. And I know some karate and some kickboxing. Madarame-san got very into that when he was in the world of the living, so we rigged up a bag in Soul Society to practice.”

“Well, if you can use a practice bag, that’ll help,” she said. “Kurosaki-kun’s not coming in today because of all this, but I was just heading to the dojo to train with Inoue-kun. If you want to start today, you can join us.”

“Okay, cool,” he said.

“One thing, though,” she said. “I want some payment for these lessons.”

“I don’t have a whole lot of money,” he said.

“No, I mean…lessons for lessons. The owner of the dojo wants to train people learning martial arts in swordsmanship and I’m only a beginner. Ichigo was supposed to do it but he’s so busy with all of this that he forgot. So I teach you self-defense and you help me use a sword better. I mean, you didn’t become Lieutenant by accident, right?” she asked with a warm smile. “And if you need money, maybe you can teach the class until I’m better trained. I think sensei would go for that. But only if you want to,” she added hastily.

“Um…yeah, sure. That sounds good,” he said with a wide grin.

“Cool. I’ll give you a lesson today, and you can give me one tomorrow?”

He shook his head. “I have to attend a strategy meeting at four, and I don’t know how long it’ll take.”

“Well, then maybe Thursday?” she suggested.

“Yeah, that’ll work,” he said with a nod.

“Cool. Do you need to get your gigai or something?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah. Right. Gigai.” He grinned at her and she smiled back. “Be right back.” He headed back to the training grounds, a light bounce in his step. This was a good start…


End file.
